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Negative experience with Timeshare Freedom, Time No More & RAN

UWSurfer

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Under the heading of more warnings...

Many may have noted comments from me over the past 8 months attempting to close a purchase of a week at Summer Bay Las Vegas and the delays I experienced in that time. Recently I received confirmation of the week being recorded, the money I sent for maintenance fee's sent to the resort and the unit being transferred into my name.

HOWEVER, I RECEIVED A COPY OF A LETTER TODAY FROM THE CLARK COUNTY RECORDER THAT THE RECORDING FEE'S WERE PAID WITH A CHECK ON A CLOSED ACCOUNT OF TIME NO MORE, INC.

Additionally, I received a call a couple weeks prior from the resort informing me there were late charges and collection fee's totaling $247, plus this years maintenance fee's which had to be paid prior to them completing the transfer. This year's fee's I understand, but to not pay last years fee's on time, with the money I had already sent the closing company for this is not acceptable. I of course have written them for reimbursement of the late fee's and to date have received no response.

The county letter says they have 20 days from February 25 to make good on the check or they will put a lien on the property and against all parties. This amount is $42.55. The county also indicated if check isn't made good they will turn the matter over to the DA for further investigation.

My next fear is the check they paid the resort for maintenance fee's 2008 will bounce and I'll be out that money as well.

Timeshare Freedom is very slow to respond, and when they do always state they are awaiting on something prior to proceding. Time No More, Inc is another of their firms (alias more like it) who requested the recording, although I never understood why.

The amount to the county is not large and I have motivation to pay it and likely will. Of course I'm really paying it twice as part of my fee's to Time Share Freedom were to cover this. This was an inexpensive purchase via Ebay. The week was $200. The fee's were around $800 combined and the maintenance fee's they held onto during this process was $442. Add in the $247 in late charges and now another $43 I'll end up paying again, and this $200 week is more like $1665 now. Again not huge sums, but it adds up.

I write this as a warning to others that you should avoid purchasing a week through Resort Access Network or have any further closings associated with Time Share Freedom &/or Time No More, Inc. as they simply are all much more trouble than the purchase is worth.

I've purchased all my weeks resale and via Ebay from other sellers & closing companies without issue up until now. My advice would be to stay clear of these folks in the future.
 

oneohana

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Hi UWSurfer,

Have you talked toTimeshare Freedom lately? I can't even get them to return my calls or respond to my emails.
 

timeos2

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They do offer freedom

Hi UWSurfer,

Have you talked toTimeshare Freedom lately? I can't even get them to return my calls or respond to my emails.

Sounds like freedom from your money not your timeshare with the ultimate in "upfront fee" operators. The PCC sga is becoming the biggest timeshare ripoff yet.
 

calgarygary

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Unfortunately, unless the eBay ad includes Timeshare Freedom as the closing company, your warning will have little effect. Time No More Inc. is the pcc company that obtains the timeshares. During their presentation, they likely claim that they do not sell timeshares - and that is accurate as they use another company, Resorts Access Network to sell them. Many of the deeds that were to be in Resorts Access Network's name, were in fact transferred to Dharmesh Patel who is no longer with them (do a search on tug for that name and you will find out why). The eBay ads used to be under either svacationman or ttimeshareman but in both cases, Dharmesh was the contact. The ads from a few years ago, indicated that Timeshare Freedom was to be the closing company but I believe that they have since removed that info. from ads so if you do a search on eBay, for either of the 3 entities in ad descriptions you will likely come up with no results.

It is unfortunate that you have had this experience and I have read somewhere that they have ended operations but I do not know if that is factual. Who have you been dealing with? For those having difficulty, I would consider doing a search for Sarah Turner or Darren Gibson (officers of at least one or more of the triad of companies) and seeing if you can not find a home phone number in Cleveland, Georgia and surrounding areas.
 
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UWSurfer

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I've been dealing with Tara Coffee and Tammy helped set up the RCI points account.

They are nice enough and Tammy seems knowledgable, but neither are particularly great at follow through. It has always taken repeated e-mails and phone calls to get anything out of them. I had best luck early to mid-week in the middle of the day reaching them in the past.

I got a check cut today for the registrar's fee's as the county will put a lien on my week...not anything which TSF or TNM has any interest in. Again, I'm crossing my fingers the check to the resort stays cleared as I don't need to pay twice for this.

That said, the resort has transferred the account, the deed was recorded...(just not paid for)...and the $$ we're talking about are relatively small.

THAT SAID, I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO SIMPLY LAY RUBBER CHECKS ON MY BEHALF AND DISAPPEAR WITH THE MONEY. I'll be following up with a letter for reimbursement and reference further delay will result in my contacting the state attorney general's office in Georgia should they not come through.
 
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Quimby4

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My understanding is that Timeshare Freedom was "downsizing" last week and Tara is no longer with the company. So Tara's files are in limbo. Timeshare Freedom is pretty horrible about returning phone calls and emails. Granted there may sometimes be problems and delays but if they would just communicate with the clients it would make it easier.

I didn't get a phone call back this week until I threatened a Credit Card Charge back. Within 24 hours I had a phone call and email. Not the way I like to do business.

Good luck!
 

afi1414

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I have had the same experience with Timeshare Freedom.
They were Johnny on the Spot when it came to charging my credit card for a Marriott Time Share 3+ months ago.
Since then I have NOT been able to reach anyone by phone and I have had one email reply despite my repeated emails to Tara and Tanya.

Finally, I called my credit card company and started a dispute.
 

Jennie

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Just returned from a month in Ft. Lauderdale and have spent hours wading through the tons of mail that was held at the local post office for us.

It contained two "invitations" to come to a meeeting to "get rid of our "unwanted" (NOT !) timeshare.

One is from Timeshare Relief, Inc., 2241 W. 190th Street, Torrance, Ca., 90504 Tel. 877-289-1974 www.timesharerelief.com

It came in an envelope (not a postcard) with "Best Wishes" from "The MacMillans" who said they'll be in our area March 13, 14, 15, and 16 and look forward to "the honor of helping me make a beneficial decision for me and my family for generations to come." :hysterical: They're even offering a $25. American Express gas card. Too bad I'll be out of town that weekend. The last time I went, I was able to "save" two potential victims from taking the bait.

The second offer came via postcard and said, "We Rescue Timeshare Owners! This is an immediate solution to ALL your timeshare problems. Now making immediate offers on Timeshares! We Rescue Timeshare Owners. Our team of representatives will be in your area making in-person offers on timeshares."

The company name appears to be Travel Exclusive. The address is 5416 Coloraine Dr., Dayton, Ohio 45424-3714. To make an appointment for March 6,7,8,or 9 hurry up and call 866-942-8088. Can't make that one either, d__n it!

I know Timeshare Relief has been around forever. But who is "Travel Exclusive?" Probably a recycled company coming back from an earlier life in the same seedy neighborhood.

I recently attended the annual owners meeting at a Wyndham-Failfield property in Pompano, Florida. Several older niave people asked when (not if) Wyndham would begin buying back no longer wanted weeks from long-time owners. The manager tactfully stated that it was being looked into and considered at the corporate level. I would not have had the heart to tell the owners the true answer namely, NEVER.

But one owner present said, "Are you crazy? People are selling Points and fixed weeks on Ebay for as low as $1.00 and Wyndham is doing nothing to stop it (e.g. exercising "Right of First Refusal"). He went on to say that owners are being intimidated into paying companies thousands of dollars to take a timeshare off their hands.

At that Point the manager conducting the meeting, who had thus far been "Mr. Congeniality," became visibly angry and stated that "Wyndham is aggressively looking into the tactics of these companies. If they appear to be doing anything unethical or illegal, court action will be sought.

When the outspoken gentleman asked again why Wyndham was not exercising ROFR, at least on the prime weeks, the meeting was suddenly declared "over."
 

AwayWeGo

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[triennial - points]
Something About The Letters R. O. F. & R. Must Short-Circuit The Thinking Process.

But one owner present said, "Are you crazy? People are selling Points and fixed weeks on Ebay for as low as $1.00 and Wyndham is doing nothing to stop it (e.g. exercising "Right of First Refusal").
Have to wonder how the guy figures ROFR would do anything to stop it.

All exercising ROFR would do is let the timeshare company become the buyer at $1.00.

ROFR = ROFL.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​
 

pranas

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Which meeting did you go to Jennie?
 

timeos2

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ROFR has been exposed as what it is. No friend to owners

When the outspoken gentleman asked again why Wyndham was not exercising ROFR, at least on the prime weeks, the meeting was suddenly declared "over."

Since Wyndham has no ROFR they certainly can't exercise it! But they CAN offer to buy back any week/points they desire to and THAT, unlike ROFR, would actually help prop up resale values.

No developer does that while a few, less now than a year ago, do occasionally use ROFR to steal realistically priced units from legitimate buyers. The few that are left exercsing that, although at much lower levels than a year ago, are likely to abandon it soon as the unbelievable glut of unsold/unwanted timeshare inventory continues to build. ROFR cannot and never has support resale price only the ability of the Developer to limit who gets the advantage of low resale prices (them if ROFR is used). The seller gets the same low price no matter who buys it.
 

Jennie

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Which meeting did you go to Jennie?

I attended the annual meeting of the Ocean Palms Association at Wyndham Sea Gardens in Pompano Beach. There were only about 15 owners present and that included some couples.

I own 2 Points packages and two fixed weeks at Ocean Palms--all bought on Ebay within the past 2 years. My favorite is Week 7, 2 bedroom/2bath corner unit on the 9th floor with a full ocean view. Paid only $316. plus about 500. in closing and recording fees.

I met a lot of other owners around the pool and tiki hut who had snagged similar "steals". But then I also met people who had bought from the developer at outrageoulsly high prices. For example, one older couple who own a large farm in the midwest paid $19,500. for 140,000 Points two weeks before I met them. It broke my heart to know that they were no longer within the recision period. I told them to go ahead and send a letter. They had nothing to lose. They had a few legitimate complaints about not receiving what they had been promised, so who knows, maybe they could fight for a partial refund. The crazy thing is that they have owned other Wyndham weeks and Points for years. One would have thought that they would have heard from other owners about buying resale. They said that they have paid over $90,000. altogether, including their most recent purchase :eek: .
 

pranas

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I attended the annual meeting of the Ocean Palms Association at Wyndham Sea Gardens in Pompano Beach. There were only about 15 owners present and that included some couples.

I own 2 Points packages and two fixed weeks at Ocean Palms--all bought on Ebay within the past 2 years. My favorite is Week 7, 2 bedroom/2bath corner unit on the 9th floor with a full ocean view. Paid only $316. plus about 500. in closing and recording fees.

I met a lot of other owners around the pool and tiki hut who had snagged similar "steals". But then I also met people who had bought from the developer at outrageoulsly high prices. For example, one older couple who own a large farm in the midwest paid $19,500. for 140,000 Points two weeks before I met them. It broke my heart to know that they were no longer within the recision period. I told them to go ahead and send a letter. They had nothing to lose. They had a few legitimate complaints about not receiving what they had been promised, so who knows, maybe they could fight for a partial refund. The crazy thing is that they have owned other Wyndham weeks and Points for years. One would have thought that they would have heard from other owners about buying resale. They said that they have paid over $90,000. altogether, including their most recent purchase :eek: .

I went to the one for Royal Vista and told a few people about TUG when the board answered with their standard "We are looking into it answer." They used that term a lot to answer all sorts of questions. The room was filled and they had to bring in more chairs. Lots of people seem to be unhappy with the new charges for guest certificates. It sems a lot of owners own in several of the resorts and went to sevral of the meetings that week. Based on my experience, I think most people do not know about resale.
 

Jennie

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It seems a lot of owners own in several of the resorts and went to several of the meetings that week. Based on my experience, I think most people do not know about resale.

It's mind-boggling, isn't it. Many of these people "hang out" daily at the pool, beach, and on-site snack bars, and participate in several of the planned activities. You would surely think that they would learn from other owners who bought resale :confused: .

If I meet a couple (or single) who own one or two weeks bought from the developer, and they state that they have no intention of buying anymore, I just say casually that they should buy resale if they decide to buy anything in in the future. I leave it at that. I don't want to "break their heart" letting them know that I paid a dollar for the same or better unit that they bought for 10-15K from the developer.
 
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